Avon Theatre

A historic theater in downtown Decatur that has been the starting point for the Haunted Decatur Tour since 1993. The theater, co-owned by Skip Huston, has been at the center of Decatur's ghost tourism for decades.

The Avon Theatre in Decatur officially opened on November 18, 1916, designed by R.O. Rosen for James Allman as a "moving picture" theater. Over 700 people entered a contest to name the building, with the winning entry "Avon" submitted by Thomas Ronan to evoke William Shakespeare, who was born on the banks of the River Avon. Ronan won a season pass for his literary suggestion.

In the late 1920s, the Konstantopoulos family purchased the theater. Gust Konstantopoulos, a Greek immigrant, became the face of the Avon for five decades, greeting patrons and pouring his passion into the establishment until his death in 1965 following a three-month illness. His funeral was held at the Moran Funeral Home next door to the theater he loved.

Legend holds that Gust loved the Avon so much that when new owners tried to remove his personal effects from his private office, he simply refused to leave. Employees were forced to throw his belongings into the street. Since then, Gust's presence has been felt throughout the building—and seen by at least one notable witness.

Renowned author and ghost expert Troy Taylor, who has dedicated his life to researching hauntings, saw Gust's apparition standing in the office doorway—only the second time in his career he has witnessed a full-bodied ghost. Other spirits include a woman in a blue dress and a man in a 1930s usher's uniform. Older Decatur residents recall a ticket-taker who may be among the spirits.

When the Avon reopened in 1999, staff reported mysterious figures in the auditorium, doors opening and closing on their own, and lights turning on and off. Disembodied laughter, footsteps, missing objects, and unexplained applause echoing from the empty theater have been documented repeatedly.

The theater's haunted reputation brought coverage from the Travel Channel and History Channel, and Troy Taylor wrote a book about the Avon. The building continues to operate as a performance venue, with ghosts included in the price of admission.